Nature: flora and fauna. Ecological problems. Environmental protection. Climate, weather. Natural disasters

Choose the correct option. The increase in temperature of the earth’s atmosphere is called _______ .

Choose the correct option. Consumerism (the production and sale of more goods and services) increases the amount of _______ produced.

Choose the correct option. Untreated ________ is being pumped into the sea, from where it pollutes our beaches.

Choose the correct option. ​______ products are made to be thrown away after use.

Put the word in brackets into the correct form. It’s about realising that we live on a __________________(WONDER) planet.

Put the word in brackets into the correct form. The Earth Hour is a part of an ________ (ECOLOGY) education whose aim is to make people understand their responsibility to the planet.

Put the word in brackets into the correct form. It's __________ (POSSIBLE) to remain indifferent to changes in the climate which go on and on.

Put the word in brackets into the correct form. The idea is to show that our planet is in danger and it needs care and _______ (PROTECT).

Read the text and choose the correct answer. My storm-chasing adventure! When I first agreed to go on a tornado-chasing tour in Tornado Alley with my friend Jonas, I wasn't sure what to expect. I wondered if it would be like the thrilling film I had seen about Tornado Alley. After we got on board the tour leaders' state-of-the-art storm chasing van, they showed us the radar, radios, satellite images and GPS systems they had to help them find the best storms. Eric and Larry told us that the weather was looking good for some storms that day, so we set out excitedly, each of us with a screen in front of our seat so that we could see the radar and maps, A couple of hours into our drive, on the horizon we saw a column of rain in the centre of thick swirling clouds, Larry explained that it was a super-cell storm, a type of storm that often produces tornadoes. On that occasion, we were disappointed, but as dusk fell, we witnessed the most incredible lightning storm! Late into the evening, bolt after bolt of lightning lit up the sky over the landscape. It was magical The real excitement, however, began on the second afternoon of the tour. After analysing forecast models and other data and driving for hours, Larry and Eric caught up with a huge storm. As we got closer, the sky darkened, wind whipped around the van and hail the size of golf balls pounded on the top. Then, at the base of the clouds, the funnel of a tornado began to form. That day we saw three tornadoes! As we travelled to our hotel that evening, Eric explained how a tornado forms where two different kinds of air meet, such as dry and moist or cold and warm. Winds come from different directions and rotate to form a funnel. As it spins faster and faster, the funnel often stretches towards the ground to become a tornado. I had never been particularly interested in the weather before, but Eric's face lit up when he talked about tornadoes and he just made it all so fascinating and easy to understand. It's obvious that Larry and Eric love what they do and really want others to enjoy their tours. Despite the fact that we got incredibly close to the storms, I never felt is danger. Nothing beat the thrill of the chase and I can't wait to do another tour next year! 1. In the first paragraph, the writer tells us that A) his friend expected it to be thrilling. B) he hadn’t been on such a tour before. C) Tornado Alley was featured in a film. D) the tour was nothing like the film, Twister. 2. The writer says that in the storm-chasing van, he could A) follow the route it was taking. B) help to forecast the weather. C) watch a film about tornadoes. D) listen to stories about storms. 3. On the first day, what sight seemed to impress the writer the most? A) a super-cell storm B) the scenery C) a tornado D) a lightning storm 4. The writer enjoyed Eric’s description of how tornadoes form because A) they had just seen some tornadoes. B) he had always been interested in tornadoes. C) Eric explained it all so well. D) he liked Eric’s sense of humor. 5. Overall, what was the writer’s impression of the tour leaders? A) They were fantastic entertainers. B) They were highly energetic risk-takers. C) They were enthusiastic and skilled. D) They were great businessmen.

Read the text and decide which answer A, B, C or D is correct. It wasn't my usual holiday experience: standing on the beach, getting ready to release a baby sea turtle no bigger than my hand. But that was how I spent my final night in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. During my week there, I had seen other tourists releasing the turtles in the early evening, and as my stay came to an end, I decided to join in. I asked the hotel receptionist who was the organiser, and she told me that his name was Oscar Aranda. Oscar runs Sociedad Ecológica de Occidente conservation project. These turtles are under threat from poachers who want their meat and eggs. But Oscar and his volunteers collect the eggs and take them to protected areas where they are allowed to hatch in safety. Then, within 24 hours, they are taken back to the beach where tourists like me join in the conservation effort. We listened to Oscar's instructions. He told us that the turtles were released as the sun goes down so the bright lights of the hotels and nightclubs don't stop them finding their way back to the sea. We stood a few metres from the sea's edge holding our one-day-old turtles carefully in both hands. At a signal from Oscar, we gently placed them on the sand, stepped back and watched as they crawled slowly into the sea. I watched until my baby turtle vanished beneath the waves. Back home, I still think of the tiny baby turtle and wonder where it is now. Did it make it to the open sea? Is it safe? Oscar Aranda has dedicated his life to saving the sea turtles; I only gave a few minutes of my time, but those 35 minutes will stay with me for a lifetime.​ 1) What did the writer decide to do during his holiday in the first paragraph? A) He went there to help sea turtles. B) He stayed there for a week. C) He went there with a group of tourists. D) He stayed at a seafront hotel. 2) What does the writer say about the residents of Puerto Vallarta? A)They do not want the sea turtles on the beach. B)They see the sea turtles as a tourists attraction. C)They join in and help Oscar. D)They are a threat to the sea turtles. 3) The tirtles are released at a particular time in order to A) make their joirney shorter. B) stop them getting lost. C) keep them away from careless tourists. D) protect them from rough seas. 4) Whats does the writer conclude about his experience? A) He will never forget it. B) He would like to repeat it. C) It changed his opinion about sea turtles. D) He is more interested in wildlife now. 5) What is the writer doing in the text? A) trying to raise awareness about an issue B) explaining why he did something C) describing a memorable experience D) persuading others to do something